Now that the county has adopted its budget, it is worth remembering that Island County is one of the safest places per capita in Washington for both citizens and law-enforcement personnel.

Of course violent crime can happen anywhere, but it is simply less likely here. Population is thin and qualify-of-life is high. Since I moved here from the impersonal city 24 years ago, fear of violent crime has never crossed my mind.

What makes me feel safe is not a large police presence but the nature of the community. Neighbors know one another. We have an engaged community in which people volunteer eagerly, look out for one another and work together. We also have a social safety net with programs such as Senior Services and the Impaired Driving Panel, our community’s first line of defense against despair, desperation and stress that feed domestic violence and crime. A community that neglects its youth and most vulnerable citizens will have to deal later with even greater, more expensive problems.

Take away the social safety net and I believe the risk to me and to sheriff’s deputies actually would increase. I include in that net WSU Extension, which contributes some $1.2 million annually to the local economy in grants, donations, income and volunteer service at a cost to the county of $150,000. A healthy economy provides a piece of our security.

We have one of the lowest tax rates of any county in the state. This puts pressure on the sheriff and every other county manager to adequately fund minimum service. The sheriff could help by requesting a levy increase. If he did, I would support it.

County commissioners showed wisdom and patience in crafting a budget that maintains our community’s security on many levels.

Dan Pedersen

Langley